a homemaking blog by Mac Fife

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Friday Night is Date Night! My Drive-In Movie Survival Guide

The drive in theater is a nostalgic place to blow off some steam and a relatively inexpensive way to get out of the house! If you can’t get a sitter, or if it’s kind of last minute, you might try to bring the kiddos, and younger ones may just fall asleep in the back seat before the second feature!

Here’s what you need to know before you head to a drive-in:

Pick a cooler night and bring blankets. Our family went in the middle of the dog days last year! We hadn’t even thought of the fact that they won’t let you run your car and AC through the entire movie! We were miserable! Also, if you are bringing your kids, make sure to pack sippy cups and those special night time comfort items they might need to fall asleep easily.

Find out the snacking policy of your local drive in. Ours lets you bring your own food if you spend a couple dollars on a food pass. Totally worth it compared to concession prices!

Bring the car that has the good stereo! Most of the drive-ins I’ve visited broadcast the sound not just in the lot, but to a specific frequency you can pick up on your car stereo. If you’re seeing something like Transformers, it’s worth it to bring the car with the best bass!

Two movies for the price of one! Most drive-ins I’ve visited offer double features for the price of admission. The earlier movie is usually lighter and more kid friendly, with the PG 13 and R rated films later at night. Just realize that in the summer, as the sun goes down much later, you’ll be out SUPER late! Be prepared to ditch the second film if the babies won’t settle in to sleep in the back, or if you just don’t handle late nights too well! I’m becoming an old lady! I have trouble these days if a movie starts after 7!

Don’t expect it to be the quiet, distraction-free experience you’d get in a traditional theater, and bring lawn chairs just in case you don’t get the prime parking spot you’d hoped for, or the car starts getting hot. A drive in is just a much more casual place. Teens may be talking and giggling between cars on their way back and forth to the concession stand. Kids might be playing frisbee or shooting Nerf guns at each other right up until the movie starts. You’re outdoors. Distractions happen, so this is probably not the time or place to see the midnight premier of Harry Potter that you’ve waited a decade for.

Check your drive in’s website for extra details and have a great night out at the movies! (It might be a hard sell for your man, but I recommend “The Help” this weekend! At least he can roll up the windows and have some privacy when he’s crying even harder than you at the end! He he!)